I don’t travel very much anymore but the routine of leaving home, boarding planes, bad coffee, bad sleep, and doing it all over again had me thinking about the best tools for the road warriors on your Christmas shopping list. If this list doesn’t do anything for you, feel free to check out my other Christmas gift guides.
Burton Sleeper Hoodie :: No more crying babies, stiff neck, lost tickets, swampy arm pits or annoying fluorescent lights in your face. Inflate the integrated neck pillow in the hood, pull down the hood¿s light shield, crank up your new age mix or pop in your ear plugs, then pop some sleeping pills. Next stop nirvana. Travel as you know it will never be the same.
Vuzix iWear Glasses for iPod :: The AV920 from Vuzix features the best mobile experience yet: a wearable virtual 62″ big screen compatible with almost any audio / video device. Ditch your small screen and watch your movies with portable DVD players or personal media players in beautiful, crystal clear high-resolution 2D and 3D. The AV920 offers the ultimate big screen experience on the go.The AV920 delivers a virtual display equivalent to a 62-inch screen viewed from 9 feet which is pretty crazy when you think about it.
JanSport Antics Series Driver 8 Wheeled Backpack :: If you are like me, you have your laptop, PSP, iPod, a book, magazine, and a drink or two with you when you go on the plane. While none of them weigh that much together, they do add up. Your loved one could carry all of that with them but believe me, a wheeled backpack is a wonderful thing to have as you stand in line at the counter, stand in line at security, stand in line at Starbucks, and stand in line while waiting to board. Travelling can be enough of a mental and physical workout without having to heave your luggage around or have to worry about your laptop.
Pelican Micro Case :: Are you going to trust the airline to keep your loved ones iPod, cell phone, or Blackberry safe? I wouldn’t either. Toss them in one of these Pelican Micro Cases and while the airline may destroy their bag, they will at least be able to phone and complain?
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones :: I still remember the first time I flew and turned on my fairly inexpensive noise cancelling headphones. The engine noise disappeared, the voices around me became audible and I was far more refreshed as I stopped off the plane. It also made it much easier to sleep. While Bose sets the standard for noise cancelling headphones, you can pick up some Sony noise cancelling headphones for quite a bit less money.
Flat Automatic Umbrella :: As a road warrior, you know that one day they will get stuck out in the rain. By one of those tropical rainstorms that rolled in out of nowhere. They will thank you as they stay dry and warm.
Fisher Bullet Space Pen :: All I have to say is that it is a pen designed to last 100 years. Toss it in one of the compartments of the rolling backpack.
If their computer’s webcam leaves something to be desired, how about getting them one of Microsoft Lifecam HD webcams. This webcam, delivers smooth, detailed 16:9 video in full 720p HD quality. Optimized for Windows Live, the LifeCam Cinema also works with Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and Skype for video calls and messaging. The camera has good low light performance and gives your favorite road warrior a way to chat to their family at the end of a long flight or day on the road. It’s only a couple of years late but it finally give PC users a webcam to rival Apple’s amazing iSight.
If I missed anything or if my suggestion made you think I was absolutely crazy, let me know in the comments. You can access the current edition and previous years list of Christmas gift guides here.
That’s the kicker, I spend probably 90% of my time there but even with my laptop, a netbook, or even my iPod Touch, I spend some pretty critical time offline (click here to see my list of 
